This invention relates generally to medical devices and more particularly to devices which are suitable for use by a lay person to readily self-administer any type of irrigation or therapeutic agent into the person's anus or vagina while that person is seated on a toilet.
One common problem with aged or infirm persons is the tendency to have fecal impactions, thereby necessitating an enema or some other similar procedure for relief. Prior art devices for providing an enema or otherwise irrigating the person's bowel leave much to be desired from the standpoint of ease of use. In this regard prior art devices tend to be generally somewhat difficult to insert through the anus by the aged or infirm.
In copending U.S. patent application, Ser. No. 934,378 filed on Aug. 24, 1992, entitled System For Introducing A Therapeutic Agent Into The Rectum, which is assigned to the same assignee as this invention and whose disclosure is incorporated by reference herein there is disclosed a system and method which overcomes much of the disadvantages of the prior art. Specifically that system basically comprises a device for administering a liquid into the bowel of a person through the person's anus. The device includes an introducer and an associated manually actuatable pump and reservoir. The introducer comprises a relatively rigid hollow conduit, e.g., a J-shaped tube, having a curved distal section and an elongated proximal section. The curved distal section terminates at a free end in the form of a tip configured for ready passage into the anus. The elongated section of the conduit has a proximal end and is sufficiently long that when the person is seated on a toilet with the proximal end located between the person's legs adjacent the person's thighs the tip is located at the person's anus. Thus, the person can readily insert the tip into the anus by manually manipulating the proximal section of the conduit. The free end of the conduit has at least one aperture therein. The pump is coupled to the proximal section of the conduit and is arranged to be operated by the person to pump a liquid through the conduit from the reservoir and out the apertures in the distal end into the person's bowel.
While the device of the above mentioned patent application is generally suitable for its intended purposes, it never the less still leaves something to be desired from the standpoint of ease of use, particularly by aged or infirm persons. Thus, a need exists for a device which is very easy to use. Moreover, a need exists for a device which can be readily used to effect the irrigation of the vagina.